Chapter 1

I was the personal interpreter for Evan Whitmore, the heir who had once lost his voice from trauma.

I was also the poor scholarship girl his family had taken in.

After he was rescued from his kidnappers, I was the only person he allowed near him.

The first complete sentence he ever spoke was to me.

“You’re the most important person in my life.”

I thought he loved me too.

Until three years ago, the Whitmores brought home a girl named Clara Bennett.

By then, Evan had already become a rising star in the business world, but the moment he saw her, his face turned boyishly shy.

“Nora, I like her. I’m sure about her. For the rest of my life.”

Clara had been kidnapped with him years ago.

She was the girl he had never forgotten.

From that day on, I began interpreting for two people.

Whatever Evan signed, I translated for Clara.

At the launch event for Whitmore Group’s new company, Evan stood onstage to give a speech.

I stood beside him, interpreting.

Halfway through, he signed something that wasn’t in the script.

He waited for me to translate.

I tightened my grip around the microphone and spoke.

“The company is named QC as a confession to someone special.”

The room fell silent for a second.

Everyone knew the girl the Whitmores had brought home was named Clara.

Evan froze onstage and looked at me.

I didn’t look back.

I stepped down.

For thirteen years, I had translated every word for him.

Today was the last sentence I would ever speak on his behalf.

After the event ended, I rested backstage.

Evan pushed the door open and walked in.

“Nora, why did you translate it like that?”

Over the years, his aphasia had improved a lot.

He could speak now, but long conversations still strained him, and when he was nervous, his words tangled together.

I looked at him and smiled bitterly.

“I only changed the wording. The meaning was the same.”

His eyes were clean and open.

The way he looked at me was no different from how he looked at any other member of the Whitmore family.

I was family.

I was Nora.

But I was never the woman he loved.

Evan frowned.

“That wasn’t good for Clara’s reputation. Nora, you’re not usually so careless.”

My chest tightened.

I forced a smile.

“Your hand blocked part of the sign. I didn’t see it clearly.”

His frown deepened.

“You’ve interpreted for me for thirteen years. You’ve never made a mistake.”

I smiled again, but this time I couldn’t hold back.

“You can speak fluently now, and Clara’s here. Maybe she can interpret for you from now on.”

He immediately said, “How could I make Clara do that kind of work?”

The moment the words left his mouth, he realized what he had said.

“Nora, that’s not what I meant…”

I cut him off with a smile.

“I know. You and Clara love each other. Interpreting is tiring. Of course you wouldn’t want her to do it.”

“And the doctor said you’re almost fully recovered. You won’t need me anymore.”

His lips moved like he wanted to say something.

Before he could, Clara walked in and linked her arm through his.

“Evan, some partners outside want to meet you. You should go first. Nora and I will be right there.”

Evan glanced at me.

In the end, he left.

Clara turned to me.

“Nora, thank you for today. Evan just told me he wants to marry me!”

“If you hadn’t pushed him like that, who knows how long that emotionally constipated man would’ve taken?”

My smile was stiff.

“Really? You two were always going to end up together.”

She bit her lip, looking shy.

“I never dreamed someone like me, an orphan, would meet Evan, much less…”

Her voice dimmed.

“I just wish my sister were still here.”

Clara had been brought back from foster care.

She only remembered that she had gotten lost as a child, and that she once had an older sister.

She had been looking for her all these years.

I comforted her softly.

“You already submitted your DNA to the family registry, right? Maybe you’ve already met her without knowing.”

Her smile returned.

“Yeah.”

She glanced at her watch.

“I should go find Evan.”

“Nora, go home early and rest. You worked hard today.”

She waved and left.

The lounge became quiet again.

I stood there and watched her disappear around the corner.

Outside, Evan and Clara stood together, greeting the guests.

He tilted his head to listen to her, the corner of his mouth curved up.

They looked perfect together.

I looked away, picked up my bag, and put the pendant I always carried inside.

Evan’s assistant was waiting downstairs.

When he saw me, he opened an umbrella.

“Miss Hayes, Mr. Whitmore asked me to take you back to the estate.”

When I returned to the Whitmore house, the living room lights were still on.

Mrs. Whitmore sat on the couch with a cup of tea.

“Sit.”

I lowered my eyes and walked over.

I had always respected Mrs. Whitmore.

And feared her.

When she first sponsored me, she said, “Nora Hayes, from today on, you’re part of the Whitmore family.”

“Evan needs you. Stay by his side and take good care of him.”

When I was eighteen, she found out how I felt about Evan.

That night, Evan had a fever.

I sat by his bed all night, crying because I was so worried.

Mrs. Whitmore opened the door and saw me.

She didn’t say a word.

But from that day on, my room was moved from next to Evan’s to the small north-facing room at the end of the hall.

Evan asked about it several times.

Mrs. Whitmore said the other room had better light.

She brushed him off.

I came back to myself and bent slightly.

“Mrs. Whitmore, did you need something?”

She set down her tea and handed me two pieces of paper.

I took them.

My heart skipped.

One was a check for five hundred thousand dollars.

The other was a plane ticket to London in three days.

My voice came out rough.

“Mrs. Whitmore… what does this mean?”

She folded her hands calmly.

“I want you to leave Evan.”